Moments and Memories
by 0regina1
Summary: [Complete] Short stories written for the 2018 Zutara Week, post-finale AU, not necessarily following a linear order.
1. First Kiss

Katara had thought that leaving the Fire Nation this time would be easier than last time. It was worse. The thought of leaving filled her with a cold, sinking feeling that weighed heavier the closer the departure date actually came.

With everything stowed in the ships, it was time to say their final goodbyes. Katara was surprised by the number of people who turned up to wish them well on their journey home. She was going to miss everybody, even the finance minister with whom she had spent a lot of time arguing with. He and the rest of the ministers had the best interests of the Fire Nation at heart and she believed that they would help bring balance to the world again.

Uncle Iroh and Lady Ursa bade her farewell with a warm hug and a promise that she would be always welcomed in the Fire Nation.

Azula had even ventured out from the palace bid farewell. She looked better than she had in days.

"Make sure you return soon," she said. "I think you be interested to know that I overheard some ministers plotting to introduce Zuzu to some noblewoman known for her great beauty."

"Why would I-!?"

Azula bobbed her head slightly, her smirk reminiscent of the princess's old confidence.

And finally Katara had to say goodbye to Zuko. She hadn't completely gained composure after Azula's comment and was suddenly conscious of all the eyes watching them.

He stood there, regal, wearing the crown. He bowed to her, and she returned it.

When she rose she met his eye and recognised the glint of sadness beneath his mask. No longer caring about all the protocols of proper high society behaviour, Katara wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his shoulder. If her brother and Toph were able to get away with punching the Fire Lord on the arm, she was allowed to give him a hug.

"Make sure you look after yourself," she said. "And reply to my letters, or else -"

"You'll send Hawky to make sure I do?" he said, with a hint of a chuckle. "Stop picking fights."

She gave a short laugh and slowly released her hold.

"I thought the dagger said "Never give up without a fight"."

His eyes softened and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Katara closed her eyes, committing this moment to memory and storing them with the rest.

She felt the earth tilt, but instead of losing her balance and falling over, everything fell into place.

Warmth filled Katara from where her body was in contact with his. His arms. His body. His lips. She had been kissed before and even thought about kissing Zuko, but actually kissing Zuko was better, much better.'

* * *

Author's Notes:

I know that that I have a lot of unfinished business to attend to, but I really wanted to write something again and Avatar the Last Airbender and this fandom is something that really inspired and influenced my life, even to this day.

The writing is a little bit unpolished, but me know what you think and if you got any questions.


	2. Letters

Zuko was in the throne room listening to the finance minister give his report when he heard a large commotion outside. He raised a hand to silence the minister and motioned for the guards to open the door.

It hadn't fully opened when a hawk flew in, soared above the ministers and landed by the throne. On its back, the bird carried a scroll with a blue ribbon.

"Be careful, Fire Lord Zuko," one the outside guards said. His helmet was askew and there were scratches on his face. "That bird is dangerous! It attacked us-"

The bird squawked.

"Thank you," Zuko said. "I think that it's best that we adjourn this meeting and continue in the afternoon."

By the time the ministers and guards bowed and left the room, Zuko had already unfastened the scroll from the messenger hawk's back and was reading Katara's flowing script.

She and the others should've been well past the Fire Nation territories by now. There weren't many messenger hawk post offices in the Earth Kingdom territories.

" _Zuko,_

 _Is the weather still warm and humid in the Capital? We have arrived safely in Gaoling and the weather feels much cooler than what I can remember feeling for a long time._

 _I'm not sure if you've received the other letters we've sent on ships heading west, but our ships are resupplying at a nearby port for when we sail to Kyoshi Island and then home. We're staying in the Beifong estate, but Toph's parents aren't too pleased to hear that their daughter was actually in the Fire Nation, and they weren't impressed that they found out by a Fire Nation messenger hawk._

 _Speaking of the hawk, this is the same hawk that Sokka keeps talking about. He only agreed to let me use the hawk because I told him that the sooner . We honestly don't quite understand how messenger hawks work, but we told it to make sure that you received this letter and that you send us one back right away._

 _In any case, we have Avatar with us, so hopefully this matter will resolve itself soon._

 _Have the ministers come to a conclusion about what to do with the manufacturing industry yet? How is your sister?_

 _Please look after your health, and give my regards to General Iroh._

 _Katara_ "

Zuko's heart beat quickened while he read the letter. Once he was done, he read it over and over again as he hurried to the study. He felt the hawk watching him for the moment he stopped reading the page, and if he didn't start writing a letter right away, he was going to be in a lot of danger.

* * *

Author's Note

Thank you for reading. I hope that you don't find this too confusing. This scene is chronologically much earlier than the previous one.


	3. Tea

One afternoon, Katara was invited to tea by General Iroh.

"Try this ginseng," he offered. "It's my favourite."

"Thank you, General Iroh," she said, bowing. "It smells very fragrant, and this tea cup is beautiful."

The cup and the other mix matching ceramics present all had gold lines that looked like painted lightning at first glance, but upon closer inspection were golden joins keeping the broken pieces together.

"Thank you. I bought it in a small town in my travels recently. The craftsmen take broken pieces and join it together with gold. It reminds me that our faults and scars are not something to hide but display with pride."

Katara couldn't help but think of Zuko and the starburst scar on his chest, but refrained from making any outward reaction.

Despite his warm personality and sage advice, the man sipping his tea had the reputation of able to manipulate people like pai sho pieces in his own game. There was no sure way of knowing what he wanted or if he already knew the painful truth.

"Where did you say you bought these pieces from?" she said, changing the topic to something less risky.

Thankfully, the General started telling her about the town of Kintsu and went on to describe villages in the Fire Nation specialising in other crafts like lacquerware and chopstick making.

"Thank you, General Iroh," she said after they finished the pot of tea. "It was pleasure to having tea with you, but I really must be going now. They're expecting me at the healing centre."

"The pleasure is all mine, Katara," he said. "And please, call me "Uncle Iroh"."

* * *

Author's Note

Look up "Kintsugi" to see these beautiful pieces. One day I'd like to have one...


	4. Turtleduck

Zuko was surprised to find Katara sitting by the turtleduck pond in the middle of the day.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I sometimes come here to think."

She started to stand. "I can go."

"No, stay," he said. "Please. You were here first."

She sat down and went back to watching the turtle ducks. Her fingers twitched absent-mindedly and caused the turtle ducks to bob on pond's rippling surface. Her eyes, normally clear and bright were glassy and had dark shadows under-

Katara turned around and he fought to keep his composure. She looked at him quizzically.

"Rough day?" he finally said. He cringed at the awkwardness.

She sighed. "You could say that. I was at one of the hospitals and one of the patients refused to let me help him because he found out who I was. At first he treated me as if I was from the colonies because of my skin colour. And then when he found out I was a waterbender he started refusing treatment and started yelling at me and accusing me for all the disasters that have been happening recently."

"Tell me who this person is. I'll-"

She put a hand on his arm. "You don't have to do anything. The other hospital staff stepped in and dealt with it already. But thank you, Zuko."

He felt his cheeks warm.

"I-I didn't really do anything."

"You would've." She then went back to watching the turtleducks. "I kind of started yelling back and cracked a cup, which is why I was sent back here."

After travelling with her and witnessing all the arguments she had gotten into with the ministers, especially the finance minister, he could picture that happening.

"I really ought to stop picking fights with people. I might not be the cause of all the disasters, but I'm not the most peaceful person either." She gave a hollow laugh.

He lightly touched her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Katara's eyes locked onto his and she smiled, more brightly this time. "Yes, I am now."

* * *

Authors Note

Here's a short fic to get us through another day of the week.


	5. Crystals

Ba Sing Se. The Impenetrable City. Katara hadn't been here since Aang's was struck down by Azula's lightning. There were a lot of unpleasant memories that were made in this city. The coup, the Dai Li, Jet's death in Lake Laogai, the crystal catacombs where she and Zuko-

Katara felt her cheeks heat up.

Nothing happened in that cave. That stupid play was completely wrong!

She forced herself to take a deep breath. There was no point getting upset over a play. She had more important things to deal with. Katara and representatives from the Southern Water Tribe and Northern Water Tribe, Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom were here in the city at the same time to reinstate the Earth King to his throne and to discuss plans on how to bring balance to the world.

There was a knock on her bedroom door at the Earth Kingdom Palace.

"Hey Katara," Sokka called out from the other side, "Zuko's is due to arrive soon. Were you coming?"

"Just a moment."

She took one last look at herself in the mirror and adjusted her hair before opening the door.

* * *

Author's note

Tada! I'd really appreciate it if you let me know what you think :)


	6. Bloodbending

Zuko dismissed Lo and Li, the elderly twin advisors, from his office. However instead of leaving, they spoke up in unison.

"Sir, if we may have a word."

He shifted his attention from the finance report to them. "Yes. What is it?"

"It's about your engagement to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," said Lo.

"You cannot go through with it," said Li.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"She's controlling you like a puppet."

"She is a bloodbender."

He fought to keep his voice level. "Where did you hear that?"

"The commander of the Southern Raiders," they said.

Zuko resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. He stood up and said, "Master Katara of the Southern water tribe was instrumental in ending the Hundred Year war. She is a waterbending master, the waterbending teacher to the Avatar and defeated Princess Azula in a bending battle during Sozin's comet. She has healed people all over the world including the Fire Nation and even saved our people with her bloodbending abilities.

"In my veins runs the blood of my ancestors who have created this war and played me and our nation's people like pai sho tiles for their own benefit. It was the Southern Raiders that were responsible for the decline of the Southern Tribes waterbenders and Yon Rah, the ex-commander of the Southern Raiders who killed Master Katara's mother on behalf of the Fire Nation. Despite all of that, she has agreed to marry me, the Fire Lord. And you dare dishonour Master Katara, and the Southern and Northern Water Tribes who have given their blessings for their daughter to marry a son of the Fire Nation for love and as a symbol of hope and peace for the future, by advising me to break off the engagement?"

They bowed deeply.

"No, my Lord," said Lo.

"Our apologies, my Lord," said Li.

"We did not mean to dishonour Lady Katara or yourself," they said. "May your marriage to Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe be blessed by the spirits."

When the advisors left, he pinched the bridge. This wasn't the first time that his engagement to Katara was challenged, nor will it be the last, but he wasn't going to give up without a fight.

* * *

Author's Note

Sorry this is late. I've had a busy week and weekend. I should have the last chapter up either tomorrow or the day afterwards.


	7. Element Swap

"Are you all right, Zuko?" said Katara while she was taking him to see the new training area set up specifically for training the new waterbenders.

She thought that he would be warm wearing the parka she made him was suitable for the South Pole winters and it was currently the time of year when they had midnight sun, but he still looked out of his element. He wore a determined expression, but his skin was a little bit pale and he was shivering slightly.

That being said, when she left the Fire Nation a few months ago, it took her a while to adjust to the cold, dry air of the Southern Water Tribe. Even now she missed the tropic humidity and being able to swim in the water without risking hypothermia.

"If you're cold, we can go back a-"

"I'm fine," he said. He must've noticed her flinch because his cheeks coloured slightly and he softened his tone. "Sorry. I'm quite warm right now. It's just that, well, I think your father doesn't like me."

She raised an eyebrow.

His blush deepened in colour. "He invited me on a hunt after Sokka and Suki's wedding. That doesn't sound good."

Katara was sure that her cheeks were as red as his now, but she didn't care. She raised a mittened hand to his face. "That is a good thing. It means that dad wants to know you better. Hunting is something fathers do with their sons."

"Oh."

There was a flash of guilt in Zuko's expression, probably because he thought of his father, and then there was a warmth in his expression that she felt all over from her lips to her toes.

* * *

Author's Notes

Thank you for reading! I decided to go for a more symbolic take on this prompt. I hope you enjoyed reading all these stories as much as I did writing them! If you did, I'd love to know what you liked about it and even what you didn't. I'd like to continue to improve my writing.

In case you wanted to know, the chronological order for chapters were: Letters, Crystals, Turtleduck, Tea, First Kiss, Element Swap, Bloodbending.


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